Mother Fox
by LadyClassical
Summary: Hiei is lost in the Ningenkai, deathly ill and delirious with fever, when Kurama finds him and decides to bring him home. Can Kurama be Mom-for-a-day (or a few), and help poor sick Hiei get better? (Friendship/fluffy story, takes place a few years after the series is over)


Some people might have been inclined to say that Shuichi Minamino never did anything with his life. They would ask why he didn't go to med school, or why he didn't create his own line of hair products or "alternative medicines." Why he didn't get married. These were all legitimate questions, but the truth was, "Shuichi" was perfectly happy right where he was.

At the age of 20, he had moved out of his parents' house, but he was working for his stepfather's company, which was a great job, and it helped him stay close to his family. They needed him, and he needed them. It was a nice feeling, being needed.

So imagine how Shuichi (more commonly known as Kurama) was surprised when he was relaxing on the bed in his apartment one July evening, reading a magazine, when he felt a faint trace of demon energy. Did he have a visitor? It couldn't be one of his friends; the energy signal was too faint, sort of like having a particularly horrible Internet connection.

Kurama's best guess was some kind of D-class parasite demon. But no parasite could live on him, and he didn't even have to exterminate it. The plants in his room would take care of that. (If only he had his own house, so he could plant a garden like the one at his old house, but if there were no children, women, or pets, there was really no point in buying a house.)

"Come on, show yourself," Kurama said out loud. Pause. Silence. "Hello?"

There was nobody there. Kurama grabbed a flashlight, took the elevator downstairs, and stepped outside; he would have to let the signal guide him.

"Hello?" Kurama called again.

The demon energy seemed to be in range now, but it was phasing in and out, like a badly tuned radio. And that was when Kurama saw it: an unmistakable dark figure. it wasn't big; in fact, it was about a foot smaller than he was. Kurama took out his rose whip, but kept it limp by his side.

And then the clouds parted, exposing the moonlight, and Kurama gasped audibly.

"Hiei!" he cried, rushing over to his friend. "What are you doing in the Ningenkai? What—what's the matter?"

Something wasn't right about Hiei; he wasn't walking right. His gait rather reminded Kurama of Yusuke's mother when she was drunk, except Hiei was all tangled up in his cloak, scarf wrapped around his head, hugging his arms close to his body, and he was shaking.

"Snap out of it, Hiei!" Kurama told him, alarmed. When he set his hands on Hiei's shoulders, he was shocked to find that they were high in temperature. His cheeks were even warmer. And yet…

"Ku'ama?" Hiei shivered again. "I-I'm cold…"

"You're not cold, Hiei, you're burning up." Hiei was part ice apparition. If he felt cold, especially in the summer, that wasn't a good sign. Surely, he had a fever, but just how high was it?

"H-Home," said Hiei, pointing in a vague direction. His words came out so slurred.

"Okay, Hiei, we'll go home," said Kurama, grabbing one of Hiei's flaming-hot hands and guiding him through the balmy summer air towards the apartment. Hiei dragged his feet, though, and Kurama had to pull him, though as gently as he could. "Come on, Hiei, don't you want to go home? Come on."

Kurama had never seen Hiei like this before, and he was trying to disguise how worried he was. Demons could get sick, just like humans, although a human couldn't catch a demon virus, and vice versa. Whatever this was, Hiei had to have picked it up in the Makai, and maybe the symptoms just didn't manifest until he reached the Ningenkai. What he was doing here, though, Kurama couldn't imagine. Visiting, maybe?

But one thing Kurama did know was that a fever could kill someone if it got too high. It was crucial to get home so they could lower it. But suddenly, the heated hand loosened and let go. Hiei fell face-down onto the grass.

"Hiei!" Kurama bent down and frantically shook the fire demon's shoulder. "Hiei, please!"

But even as Kurama spoke, he knew Hiei's life was fading fast. His body energy, his life energy, was too low. It wasn't really possible to check for a heartbeat with a demon, but could he really be dying? Those lungs, once expanded for his first cry, now seemed barely able to take their last breath.

"Don't leave me, Hiei!" Kurama cried, feeling hot tears blurring his eyes. "You're too young!"

Kurama had seen too many untimely deaths. How could Hiei die? Demons could get seriously ill like this, but as long as they rested up, their life energy would keep them alive until the sickness left on its own. But then, for whatever reason, Hiei had made his way into the Ningenkai. Most likely, he'd used up a lot of his dwindling life energy to get here, leaving none of it to help him fight off his illness.

Hiei's body was losing color. Kurama gathered him up in his arms, kneeling on the grass, and cried openly. If only he could have saved his friend sooner…If only he got to say goodbye. Life energy was more powerful than spirit energy, by a long shot actually, but once you used it all up for anything but actually keeping yourself alive, you died. That was what almost happened to Kurama during the Dark Tournament, years ago. If it hadn't been for Youko's objectively superior life energy, he wouldn't be here, holding Hiei in his arms today.

That was when the idea struck him. There was one thing he could do. Kuwabara had done it for Yusuke, long ago. But at what cost? Kurama had promised himself he would never turn into the youko again. That was the only way to leave his past where it belonged. In the past. That was the only way to quit Youko.

But what mattered more? His resolution, or his best friend's life?

After all, the only reason he swore to himself he wouldn't become Youko again was because of the grip that form started to have on him—making him resort to it too quickly in battle, letting its sinister nature take him over, memories awakening of all those things he did that he was so ashamed of. So it wouldn't really count, would it, if he only became Youko in order to _save _a life?

It would not harm him; of that he was sure. If he were to attempt this in his human body, he would die. But an S-class demon would remain quite well, with two-thirds of his energy left. Only the youko would be strong enough to bring Hiei home, because Hiei certainly wasn't going to be walking back to the apartment.

And thus, Kurama made his decision. Red hair turned silver; green eyes flashed gold; ears grew, and so did a bushy tail. There was no time to angst over any of it. Two pale, slim, slightly clawed hands pressed themselves to Hiei's lifeless chest, pushing him back down onto the ground, and Youko felt the energy leaving him. The glow coming from his taller form lit up the dark night as bright as day, long silver hair blowing about in the wind it caused. This was working, but then, it was as Kurama had feared—

_Stop! What are you doing? Save yourself._

"I'm not injured. We'll be okay."

_You didn't get to where you are today by doing things like this! _

"I'm not listening, so leave me alone!"

Had this been a mistake? Youko and Shuichi were one and the same, a fusion, not a possession; and yet…Kurama had sworn never to go back to his demon form. How was he to revive Hiei, anyway, when the fire demon didn't seem to be responding, and Youko's self-preservation instincts were trying to make him let go?

_Stop it! You're being stupid!_

But that was when Hiei opened his eyes, and, although the breath was weak, his lungs once again took air. With the youko's commands burning out like the last dying embers of a flame, Kurama poured his life energy into Hiei, until finally his friend sat up, gasping and panting.

Kurama grabbed his friend in his arms, somehow crying all over again, trying to restrain himself from hugging too tight. Hiei now had a third of Youko's energy, what would have been all of Shuichi's. As for Kurama, he felt a little tired, maybe, but he would be okay. Best of all, he felt like his old self again.

"Say something, Hiei," Kurama begged. "Anything at all."

Hiei reached up with one shaking hand, his eyes unfocused as they tried to follow the swirling silver strands of hair surrounding him. Kurama could still feel the sickness emanating from him, as well as the heat; he was still very sick, very weak, possibly even in a delirium. But at last he spoke.

"H-Home," he whispered again.

Kurama stood up effortlessly with Hiei in his arms, bridal-style. His eyes were shining with tears, and he had to wait to get stronger again before he could turn back into his human form, but they would make it.

"You're right, Hiei," Kurama agreed, with a shaky little laugh of relief. "Let's go home. I'll look after you."

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
